History
of the Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden
In
1901, Edwin Percy Gamble, son of the co-founder of Procter
& Gamble Co., visited Palo Alto when his eldest son enrolled
at Stanford University. One year later, he moved his family
from Kentucky to Palo Alto. The Main House and Carriage House
were built in 1902 for the Gamble family by C. A. Bates, a
San Jose contractor, for the sum of $6,039. It was the first
house constructed south of Embarcadero Road, with the exception
of the Seale Ranch. The Gamble family had four children: James,
George, Elizabeth Frances, and Launcelot. The sons were graduates
of Stanford University. Elizabeth attended Stanford for one
year before transferring to and graduating from Wellesley
College.
After
college, Elizabeth spent the remainder of her life in the
Gamble house. Her gardens became known throughout the community
and she shared them generously. In 1971 Miss Gamble gave the
estate to the City of Palo Alto with the stipulation that
she and her brother, George, could live there throughout their
lives. George died in 1972 and Elizabeth in 1981 at the age
of 92. In 1985 the Palo Alto City Council approved a plan
to lease the estate to the Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden. The
non-profit foundation has restored the formal gardens to the
original plans, laid out the demonstration and working gardens,
added irrigation, paths, and lighting. Necessary structural
repairs have been made to the existing buildings, and the
horticulturist's office, tool house and a gazebo have been
added.
A
conversation
with Miss Gamble adapted from an article by Joanne Elders,
probably for the Palo Alto Times in the late 1950's or early
1960's, provides a bit of a personal insight into her character.
On
the occasion of the centennial, more notes about the Gamble
House, its construction and inhabitants was published in Three
Acts in the Life of a Three-Story House.
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